University of Toledo point guard leaves after 1 week
7/15/2008A player who signed in May with the University of Toledo men's basketball team has left the program, coach Gene Cross said yesterday.
Point guard Ed Tucker left UT after attending a week of summer classes that started June 23.
The Rockets are left with one true point guard on the roster in freshman Larry Bastfield, as well as a combo guard in freshman Stephen Albrecht.
"We just came to a mutual decision that this wasn't the best place or best situation for [Tucker]," Cross said.
After playing two years at Highland (Ill.) Community College, Tucker signed a letter of intent in the late signing period soon after Cross was hired. UT wanted him partly for the experience he had playing point guard at a high junior-college level.
Two players who had some point guard experience, Corey Bingham and Paul Becklens, were dismissed from the team last month. That plus Tucker's departure leaves UT with 10 scholarship players for next season and three open scholarships.
Cross said "there's nothing that's on the horizon tomorrow" for signing players but he and his staff will be looking hard over the next month.
"You're in a constant state of evaluation," Cross said. "As you go and look for players for 2009, 2010 and 2011, you're always beating the bush and using your network for guys who just got their qualifying test scores or backed out of commitments [for 2008]."
Cross added that signing a player or two this summer for next season would only happen if his staff could find someone who fit in well with the program, rather than a stopgap.
Contact Maureen Fulton at:
mfulton@theblade.com
or 419-724-6160.